PQ never sought justice department's opinion on Charter of Values

Quebec’s justice department was never asked by the Marois government for its legal opinion on the constitutionality and legality of the secularism charter, a new letter reveals.

Quebec’s new Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée presented a letter Wednesday drafted by former Parti Quebecois junior justice minister Nathalie Drouin, in which she explains that no advice was sought on the Charter of Values, as is the normal procedure.

Drouin stated that justice department lawyers are consulted on many issues prior to the filing of bills, such as equality between men and women , freedom of religion and the use of the notwithstanding clause.

“However, as mentioned previously, there was no formal legal opinion prepared by the ministry of justice on the constitutionality and legality of all the provisions of the draft charter of secularism,” wrote Drouin.